Nod received for tree removal received for Rajputana Rifles FOB, Delhi High Court told

The regiment’s trainees have had to wade through waist-deep drain water or take a 2.5-km detour to reach the parade ground, which is located on the opposite side

The Delhi forest department apprised the Delhi High Court, which is monitoring the construction of a permanent foot overbridge in Delhi Cantonment to facilitate the movement of Rajputana Rifles regiment, that permission for the removal of 21 trees has been granted for the execution of the project by the Public Works Department (PWD).

Personnel of the Rajputana Rifles regiment access the culvert, as seen earlier this year. (HT Archive)

The approval from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) has been conveyed, but it is subject to compliance with specific conditions for transplantation and compensatory plantation, the court was informed last week.

An official with the PWD, not wishing to be named, said, “The tree felling and transplantation permission from the empowered committee of MoEFCC has come in and the high court has been informed about it. We have now also released the payment for the Bailey’s bridge to the Military Engineer Services (MES).”

On May 26, HT reported how soldiers of the Rajputana Rifles, the Indian Army’s oldest rifle regiment, were being forced to cross a foul-smelling culvert that routinely overflowed during the monsoon due to the absence of a safe foot overbridge. The regiment’s trainees have had to wade through waist-deep drain water or take a 2.5-km detour to reach the parade ground, which is located on the opposite side. The Delhi High Court took suo motu cognisance of HT’s report and directed agencies to provide a solution. After the PWD informed the court that a permanent foot overbridge would take at least a year to complete, the court suggested building a Bailey’s bridge as a temporary but urgent measure.

During the previous hearings, the court had questioned delays in the release of funds and the pending approval for tree removal. The court had observed that despite repeated directions, PWD’s payments to MES and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) had not been processed due to changes in the government’s financial disbursement system. On November 22, the Delhi government assured the bench that funds to PWD, DJB and MES had been processed.

The PWD submitted to the court that a fresh application for clearance of forest land and tree removal had been filed on the PARIVESH portal on November 3, as directed. The MoEFCC has since processed and approved the request, enabling the project to move ahead. The high court has asked the government to ensure that all conditions tied to the approval are met in a time-bound manner for work to commence without further delay.

PWD officials said the permanent foot overbridge is designed for safer and more structured movement of personnel, given the heavy footfall between key army facilities in the area.

“The next step would involve site preparation work, followed by civil construction, as soon as the environmental conditions and related directions are adhered to. We are also coordinating with Delhi Cantonment Board for logistical arrangements during the construction period,” the PWD official said.

The high court, while listing the matter for December 23, noted the importance of the bridge for defence personnel and sought regular compliance reports to ensure progress.